Taking Back The Reins with Dina Shale

Dina Shale
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Taking Back The Reins is for individuals that have ‘lost’ their way, who know they want to transform their life, rebuild relationships and recover from trauma. You're tired of feeling lost, like everyday is an uphill battle and disconnected from yourself and others around you. You may be struggling with PTSD or CPTSD, and are ready to access post-traumatic growth. You know you have it in you, you just need to understand how animals and nature can help turn your trauma around with personal development. Hosted by Dina Shale, leading trauma-informed equine specialist and founder of CPD accredited flagship programme 'Project Pony', as featured in the Daily Mail. You'll learn how to facilitate self-empowerment with unique equine therapy methods. This is the show for you to learn about the benefits of using animals in a personal therapeutic way, feel more connected, leaving you with the route to stress-free, peaceful life. This podcast is the one to listen to if you're wanting to take back the reins on your life.

  1. 6D AGO

    Mindset Before Marketing: The Inner Work Behind a Sustainable Equestrian Business

    Before strategy. Before marketing. Before money. Your mindset is the real foundation of a sustainable equestrian business. In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, Dina Shale dives deep into the inner work that must come before growth, visibility, or income. Drawing from her own lived experience of building an equestrian business through major life changes, uncertainty, fear, and expansion, Dina shares honest insights into how mindset can either quietly sabotage your progress—or become your greatest asset. This episode is especially for equestrian entrepreneurs who lead with heart, passion, and purpose, but sometimes find themselves stuck in fear, overthinking, or self-doubt. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why mindset matters more than strategy in the early and growing stages of businessHow fear, procrastination, and “I’m not good enough” loops show up for purpose-led foundersThe difference between making decisions from fear vs intuitionHow small, practical mindset practices can create big internal shiftsWhy mindset isn’t about perfection—but about how you meet challengesHow focusing on possibility changes your energy, confidence, and directionSimple ways to anchor yourself back into clarity when business feels overwhelming Dina also shares the mindset tools that helped her move through fear, rebuild trust in herself, and stay focused during some of the most challenging periods of her business—while still caring for horses, clients, and community. This isn’t about toxic positivity. It’s about awareness, consistency, and choosing how you show up—every single day. If you’re building an equestrian business and want it to be sustainable, aligned, and resilient, this episode will help you reset your focus and reconnect with your “why.” 🎧 Listen now and start building your business from the inside out.

    11 min

  2. JAN 26

    Why Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: The Hidden Mistakes Holding Charities Back

    Good intentions start charities — but they don’t sustain them. In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, Dina Shale continues the conversation on the deeper, often unspoken challenges that stop charities and not-for-profits from growing, thriving, and becoming sustainable long-term. Together with Parvez, Dina explores why passion alone can lead organisations into difficulty, and how clarity, commercial discipline, and mindset are essential — even in purpose-led work. In this episode, we explore: The “If we build it, they will come” fallacy — and why community needs must come before new projects Why charities need commercial thinking, not just goodwill The danger of “all tears, no hope” storytelling — and how it leads to donor fatigue How to engage supporters through solutions, skills, and shared ownership, not just funding asks The risk of the founder becoming the single point of failure Why leadership mindset directly impacts sustainability, staff wellbeing, and organisational health This conversation is for charity leaders, founders, and CEOs who feel the weight of responsibility — and are ready to build something that works with them, not only because of them. ☕️ These episodes are designed to feel like a calm, honest conversation over coffee — offering insight, reassurance, and practical reflection for those carrying a lot. 🎧 In upcoming episodes, Dina and Parvez will go deeper into structure, sustainability, and mindset — creating a safe space for leaders to learn, reflect, and grow.

    12 min

  3. JAN 19

    Common Charity Mistakes: The Passion Trap, Shiny Objects & Real Impact

    Running a charity or not-for-profit often starts with passion — but passion alone isn’t enough to sustain it. In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, Dina Shale is joined by Parvez for the first conversation in a new mini-series focused on the most common mistakes charities and not-for-profits make — and how to avoid them. Drawing on decades of experience across the corporate world and the charity sector, Dina and Parvez explore the real, often unspoken challenges leaders face when they’re carrying responsibility, pressure, and accountability largely on their own. In this episode, we discuss: The “Passion Trap” — when founders unintentionally become the bottleneck Chasing shiny objects on social media instead of clear, intentional communication The difference between being busy and creating real impact Why clarity, trust, and simple objectives matter more than complex strategies This is an honest, grounded conversation designed to feel like sitting down for a cup of tea with someone who truly understands the realities of leading a purpose-driven organisation. 🎧 In the next episode, we’ll continue the conversation and explore sustainability, growth, and mindset in the charity and not-for-profit space.

    15 min

  4. JAN 13

    The Right People in the Right Room: Building Sustainable Charities and Purpose-Led Work

    In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, Dina Shale is joined by Parvez to explore what it truly takes to build sustainable charities, not-for-profits, and purpose-led organisations—especially when passion is high, but support and structure are stretched. Parvez shares his journey as a first-generation migrant who spent two decades in global investment banking, working across technology, leadership, delivery, and large-scale transformation. Those years shaped how he thinks about execution, failure, governance, and why having the right people in the right room at the right time matters more than good intentions alone. Together, Dina and Parvez reflect on: Moving from commercial success into the charity and not-for-profit sector The hidden pressures faced by CEOs and charity leaders Why many charities struggle to become sustainable The tension between trustees, volunteers, and paid leadership How commercial thinking can strengthen purpose-led work without losing heart Why leaders often feel isolated—and where they can find real support This conversation marks the beginning of an ongoing series where Dina and Parvez will share honest discussions, lived experience, and practical insights to support leaders who are carrying a lot and don’t always know where to turn next. If you’re leading a charity, not-for-profit, or values-driven organisation—and you’re trying to balance vision, governance, and sustainability—this episode is for you.

    15 min

  5. 11/03/2025

    New Beginnings and Bold Moves: Building Our Future in Lincolnshire

    In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, host Dina Shale shares a heartfelt update on how the past year has shaped her equine-facilitated learning journey in Lincolnshire. From rebuilding her business after a bold move from Leicestershire to forming inspiring collaborations for 2026, Dina reflects on the growth, challenges, and gratitude that come with following your purpose. You’ll hear about the success of The Accelerator programme, summer work with the HAF team, exciting new retreats with Moon & Main, and her continued passion for equine therapy, sound healing, and community projects. Dina also gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming website updates, training opportunities, and collaborations that are helping others build sustainable, heart-led organisations. Whether you’re an equine facilitator, a business owner, or simply someone who loves stories of resilience and purpose, this episode offers inspiration, insight, and hope for the year ahead. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction – Welcome back and what’s ahead 01:20 Moving from Leicestershire to Lincolnshire: The leap of faith 03:30 Rebuilding and restarting the business from the ground up 05:10 Reflections on The Accelerator and new student journeys 07:00 Highlights from a busy summer with the HAF programme 08:30 Renovation projects, new facilities, and on-site improvements 09:45 Collaborations with Moon & Main and upcoming retreats 10:50 Partnering with coach Parvez Bhatti: Building sustainable charities 13:00 Lessons in community, growth, and starting over 15:00 Upcoming events: retreats, Echo Sound sessions, and more 17:00 Website updates, new booking options, and future plans 18:05 Final reflections – excitement, gratitude, and what’s next

    19 min

  6. 10/28/2025

    Listening to Your Emotions: What Horses Can Teach Us About Inner Wisdom

    In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, host Dina Shale explores how emotions serve as vital information—guiding us toward what feels right or wrong, when to act, and when to rest. Through the lens of trauma-informed equine facilitated learning, Dina explains how horses naturally read emotions as cues for survival and connection—and how we, too, can tune into that same emotional intelligence. Drawing from her experience as a somatic experiencing practitioner, Dina shares how suppressing emotions disconnects us from our inner wisdom, and how reconnecting with our “felt sense” helps us make aligned, confident decisions. You’ll also hear a powerful personal story where trusting emotional intuition helped her avoid a life-changing mistake—and how emotions, when understood, can become one of our greatest guides. Whether you’re healing from trauma, working with horses, or simply learning to listen to your body’s messages, this episode will inspire you to see emotions not as weakness, but as wisdom. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction and welcome back to Taking Back the Reins 00:25 – Emotions as information: learning to listen to what feelings tell us 01:15 – Why most of us were never taught emotional awareness 02:25 – How horses read emotions through energy and body scanning 04:10 – Fear, anger, sadness: decoding emotional cues for humans 05:00 – Tuning into emotions when working with rescue horses 06:30 – Understanding somatic experiencing and emotional disconnection 07:45 – Story: when listening to emotions prevented a major mistake 10:45 – Trusting your intuition and building confidence in decisions 12:30 – Realizing emotions never lie — they guide us to truth 13:50 – Processing emotions vs. retelling the story of trauma 14:45 – How emotional awareness deepens connection with your horse 15:40 – Big Harry: the horse that taught emotional wisdom 16:10 – Closing reflections: feel, listen, and process—don’t fix or bury emotions 16:45 – Invitation to join the Highway to Healing community

    17 min

  7. 10/06/2025

    From Project Pony to The Accelerator: Harnessing Horses for Healing & Transformation

    In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, host Dina Shale shares the inspiring journey behind Project Pony and The Accelerator—two groundbreaking equine-facilitated learning programmes designed to help people overcome trauma, stress, and life’s challenges. Discover how a framework born during the pandemic has evolved into a powerful path of healing, transformation, and empowerment—inside what Dina calls her “portal of transformation.” Whether you’re curious about equine-assisted learning, thinking about becoming a facilitator, or seeking tools to step into your soul’s purpose, this episode offers wisdom, real-life stories, and encouragement to take back the reins of your own life.

    16 min

  8. 09/15/2025

    Breaking Patterns, Building Understanding – A Conversation with Gordon Forsyth of PACT

    In this episode of Taking Back the Reins, Deena welcomes guest Gordon Forsyth, Chair of PACT (Parents and Autistic Children Together), to explore the realities of raising and supporting neurodivergent children. Drawing from two decades of lived experience as a parent and advocate, Gordon shares openly about the challenges families face, the lessons learned through trial and error, and the power of community in finding a way forward. Together, Deena and Gordon dive into the importance of recognising behavior as communication, shifting away from punishment toward understanding, and building environments—at home, at school, and in the wider community—where children can truly thrive. Their conversation highlights how traditional approaches like talk therapy or rigid systems often fall short, and how somatic, body-based work with horses can unlock deeper awareness and healing that words alone cannot reach. This is an episode full of honesty, hope, and practical wisdom for parents, educators, and anyone walking alongside neurodivergent children. Whether you’re seeking support, inspiration, or simply a reminder that you are not alone, Gordon’s journey and Deena’s insights will leave you encouraged and empowered to take back the reins in your own story.

    44 min
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Taking Back The Reins is for individuals that have ‘lost’ their way, who know they want to transform their life, rebuild relationships and recover from trauma. You're tired of feeling lost, like everyday is an uphill battle and disconnected from yourself and others around you. You may be struggling with PTSD or CPTSD, and are ready to access post-traumatic growth. You know you have it in you, you just need to understand how animals and nature can help turn your trauma around with personal development. Hosted by Dina Shale, leading trauma-informed equine specialist and founder of CPD accredited flagship programme 'Project Pony', as featured in the Daily Mail. You'll learn how to facilitate self-empowerment with unique equine therapy methods. This is the show for you to learn about the benefits of using animals in a personal therapeutic way, feel more connected, leaving you with the route to stress-free, peaceful life. This podcast is the one to listen to if you're wanting to take back the reins on your life.

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